Jonathan Alexander Says Kamari Lassiter 'Primed To Be A Starter' For Texans

Houston Chronicle writer Jonathan Alexander joins Next Up to review the Houston Texans following mandatory minicamp. The Texans drafted cornerback Kamari Lassiter in the second round out of the University of Georgia, and Lassiter is already making a name for himself within the Texans roster. Lassiter was "really showing out" with the first-team defense at minicamp, and "he looks like he's primed to be a starter," possibly at "outside corner," Alexander said. Lassiter got reps against Stefon Diggs, who "understands his role" as a leader amongst the wide receiver group. Alexander also addresses Blake Fisher, who the Texans selected 59th overall in the draft, and his chances of starting "if Tytus Howard isn't ready," as well as the competition at the backup quarterback position, acknowledging that the Texans are "taking a gamble that C.J. [Stroud] is going to remain healthy."

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
But I read some things in thechronicle. Bob particular, friend of mine,
friend of the station, friend ofthe show. We all read his
work. Jonathan m Alexander joins usnow courtesy of the guest line JMA,
Good morning to you, brother.How you feel. I'm good? How
are y'all? I can't complain?Man, all right, we've been fussing
and cussing and doing all the thingsas it pertained to the Astros Texans kind

(00:21):
of flying under the radar. Wefinally hear from Stefan Diggs and so this
was mini camp last week. Justyour overall observations, like the top couple
things that stood out to you fromlast week as we do a dive here
on the Texans. Yeah, therewere a few things. First we start
off, let's talk about Kamari Lasser, the rookie cornerback where they drafted with

(00:46):
that forty second pick. Man,he's he he looks really good and so
early on too. You know Imentioned this in a couple of my stories.
You know, usually rookies they takea little time to get adjusted.
We didn't see CJ. Strit comearound so training camp. Will Anderson the
same Damian Pierce when he was aRikie training camp. But Kamar Laster is

(01:07):
really showing out playing against Stephan Diggsgetting deflections and he's against c. J.
Stroud throws. He's playing with thefirst team. He looks like he's
probed to be a starter and andthat is great news for the Texans.
Another observation you mentioned it Stephan Diggs, you know, coming in that was
this kind of perception that he wasa diva. And I don't know,
listening to him, he sounded likea guy who was mature. Maybe he's

(01:29):
a guy who's passionate about about football, really wants to win. Sure,
maybe he but says, but Ithink men and you both know, we
want if we want to wide receiver, if we building a team with a
wide receiver, we want a divaas long as he's not a cancer.
U. So I don't know.I just yeah, So I just I
just feel like Stefon Diggs is aguy who kind of understands his role.
He's only here one year, whichis good for the Texans because he's said

(01:53):
to prove himself. He's got youngstars around the movie. He gets along
with obviously, he he looks athe's friends with Tank Dell and and had
high praises for Nico Collins. Sothose are kind of two of the biggest
things. The CJ looks great takingon a bigger a leadership role the defense.
The only thing about the defense Iwonder about is the defensive tackle position.
That's the biggest question mark. TimSettle Volley fout of content to meet

(02:15):
as a big step back from whatthey had last year. So those are
the big things that took away.I'm with you on on that part about
the interior defensive line. I wantto go back to last real quick.
Yeah. Look, it's he playedon on a lot, in a lot
of big games, on a bigstage, and with the Georgia Bulldogs who
obviously had their greatest run during histenure there with them, and almost going

(02:37):
for a three peat this past year. But last year, what's what's more
likely. I know it's early,we only saw him through rookie camp and
mini camp and they still got trainingcamp to go through. But what's more
likely in your opinion that he startsat that number two corner spot week one
opposite Derek Stingley, or maybe holdsdown that that nickel spot over over Desmond
King. What's more likely for weekone in your opinion? For a week

(02:58):
one in my opinion, I thinkit's more and more likely is he starts
the outside corner. Wow. Youknow, I think I think the fact
that Desmond King really kind of cameon strong in that second half of the
season when he came back and returned, I think that gives him a little
bit of a leg up. Now. Having said that, I think the
Texans are going to keep the dooropen. I think they're still going to
rotate Kamar Laster in a nickel cornerbackduring training camp and play him at two

(03:23):
different positions just in case things don'twork out. You know, I didn't
see much from Myles Bryant that gaveme a lot of confidence. You know.
You know, hear from people whocover the Patriots that he was a
solid nickel cornerback, but he didn'tseem to get a lot of reps in
during the parts that we were ableto watch. So, you know,
I think and Kamari was making mostof his plays when he was playing the

(03:46):
outside cornerback, so you know,I think he's more likely to start there.
Jeff Acuda's kind of fell down,h kind of falling in the in
the ranks of he hasn't really mademany plays from what I've seen, and
I think see Henderson is a reallygood backup cornerback who can come in in
case you do have an injury.So I think tomorrow Lassiter could be that

(04:08):
Week one start at outside cornerback Weekone. Interesting Jonathan m Alexander joining us
here on next up Curtisy of theHouston Chronicle, where he does great work.
I'm looking at something and stuff here. Let's continue to talk about this
Texans roster. Maybe it's just meand y'all know I'm prone to say some
things that are different and then y'allall come back and tell me you know

(04:30):
what I'm saying. I thought youlove off your rock on that one.
But I said that when they madethe pick this Blake Fisher right tackle in
the second round. Uh yeah withthat. With that that second second round
pick, what's your your thoughts oncould we see Blake Fisher taking the majority
of reps? I don't know,and I know he wasn't practicing. I'm

(04:53):
talking about Titus Howard. Could westart to get it with Blake Fisher.
I think it totally depends on whereTitus Howard is like he's expected to return
in time for camp, which isa good sign, which should give him
enough time. Now, how doeshis knee respond. He's coming off a
major injury. How does his kneerespond during training camp? Does he look

(05:15):
like the same tightest Howard? Doeshe still feel comfortable? I think probably
the most likely circumstance in which BlakeFisher starts at right tackles one if Titus
Howard isn't ready, and two ifleft guard none of the left guards work
out and they decide that they wantto move Titus Howard back to left guard.
I think that's also a possibility.I think it's still on the table.

(05:38):
However, having said that, Ithink Kenyan Green has performed better this
offseason than he had previously, andI think that he'll have a legitimate shot
to compete for that starting role.So while I say it's still on the
table, I think it's a lesslikely possibility. But I see them bringing

(05:59):
Blake Fisher on a little bit slower. You know, you could tell that
it was a difference when he wasgoing up against the Neil Hunter and Will
Anderson. They got by him ona couple of occasions, and this wasn't
even full pads, so I thinkhe still has a little bit to learn,
and I think they would rather haveTys Howard out there and then bring
Blake Fisher along a little more slowly. Training camp will be here before we

(06:20):
know it. Johnathan, If Isaid you could only watch one position battle
throughout training camp, which one wouldwould you? Would you devote most of
your time to? And it's mostintriguing to you. Most intriguing to me
really is a wide receiver. Becauseyou know, they kept six last year,
so let's assume they keep six thisyear. They got a lot of

(06:41):
guys that went for that final spotwho were whore talented, who were here
last year, who played big,who were big contributors. I think two
guys potentially, you can see twoguys who were on the roster last year,
because you know, you look atRobert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson, Stephen
Simms, Ben Scaronic battling for thatfinal spot. I think even Norah Brown

(07:06):
might be up for trying to figureout whether he kind of fits. He
hasn't practiced this offseason because of theinjury he's coming back from. I think
he'll he'll be uh, he'll havea way of climb when it comes to
training camp. I think he is. He's shown that he can be a
really good piece for them, soI think that's what's going to help him.

(07:27):
But the injury certainly doesn't help.But that final spot, you know,
I've seen Robert Woods play well,but they could save almost five million
dollars by cutting him, so thatwould make a lot of sense. David
Hutchinson is a guy who they thoughtmaybe had some promise, but I think
the other guys are performing well.So it's gonna be an interesting battle if
you had to bet on it.Jonathan who has a better year from a

(07:49):
skill position standpoint, John Meti thethird, or Brevin Jordan, who I
keep hearing good things about Demico ravedabout him during Manic Camp. That's a
good question. I think Brevin Geordanis going to have more run because he's
going to come in and become theclear number two. I think John is
gonna over Stover. You know I'minterrupting you, but they out of Ohio

(08:15):
state obviously, the connection with CJ. Brown getting more run than Stove,
Yeah, I think you know Brevanis going to be on what his fourth
year in the league. Stover's onlyin his first He's only played tight end
through years of his life. Ithink he still has a little bit to
learn. I think he definitely certainlyhas potential, but I think he still
has a little bit to learn.I think they anticipate him eventually replacing Brevin

(08:39):
if if Brevin isn't resigned. Ithink that's the plan for Stover. But
yeah, when you look at soI see Brevin coming as long as he
stays healthy. He's clear number twoand showed that he can be a big
play threat at times, especially whenall the attentions on Dalton shows. I
think John Meg is gonna have abetter year, without a doubt, But
he's nine really good wide receivers andTank Dell, Stephan Diggs, and Nico

(09:05):
Collins who all one thousand yard receivertype of guy, and I think that's
the only reason you might not seeMeshi have such a big year. But
I think he'll be more improved thanhe was last year. Jonathan. One
position that really just intrigues me isthe backup quarterback spot. I mean,
it's one we don't want to focuson because we want to hype up CJ.
And we want to talk about howGrady is, but let's not forget

(09:26):
I mean CJ missed a little timelast year in his rookie year and you
had to lean on a case Keenumto go out there and get it done.
I'm just curious, And look,we were excited about what Case did
in that quarterback room. You know, we've heard he was in a valuable
piece to helping coach up CJ andbe an extra coach in that room with
Rod Johnson, and they have DavisMills still. But I just I look

(09:48):
at it and go, why notlook to maybe upgrade there in the chance
that let's say CJ misses four weeksof the season, like that could make
or break your postseason hopes if youknow, knowing that the schedule gets a
lot tougher. So I'm just curiouswhen we look around the league at some
of the backup quarterback spots, whythey didn't maybe look to upgrade there and
just bring back the same guys.Yeah, I think that's a good point

(10:11):
that you mentioned. I think itwas about sixty sixty four guys started a
quarterback last year, so it's abig chance. But you know, when
you look to upgrade a quarterback forbackup quarterback, you're going to pay top
dollar and detections. I think thereason why they didn't try that is because

(10:31):
they feel like they wanted to payin other areas, And they're essentially taking
a gamble that TV is going toremain healthy and that he won't suffer an
injury, and that Case Keenum orDavis Mills, if he does have to
miss one or two games, canhandle a couple of games. So I
think they're essentially betting that TV isgoing to be relain healthy. But you're

(10:52):
right, you know, there's alwaysa possibility for an injury and you need
a good, solid backup. Andmaybe that's to say they believe in Case
Tenum and Davis Mills growth. DavisMills the enter in Pimodal year year four.
He's on a contract year, sothis should be his best year and
they should want him to play wellbecause you know, if teams are in

(11:15):
need of a quarterback, which theywill be, you know, he can
be a valuable trade if he looksgood during the preseason. So yeah,
you know, I think you bringup a great point, and but I
think it's technical. Were essentially bettingthat you know C. J. Strout
would be healthy this year. Allright, Jonathan, we appreciate it.
Man Houston, continue to follow thework. And if you hadn't already,

(11:37):
what are you doing? Press followJohn J O n the letter m Alexander
at John m Alexander. He joinsus here on next up courtesy of the
Houston Chronicles. Upgrade that profile picktoo. Look how studious he looks in
that picks. What we do?We do things done? Go ahead,

(11:58):
appreciate yea. All right, manwith enjoy the weekend. My man jm
MA talking some Texas. Let's continueto do so. Ce J. Stroud's
a happy man. I'll tell youwhy. On the other side, real
textans talking listen Sports Talk seven ninety